Stripedy stripe stripes.

Stripes are probably one of my most favorite topics to talk about. I LOVE them. In fact, when reviewing my wardrobe this past week, it looked a little like this:

1. Monday: white button down, [sweater or vest?], gray slacks, gold ballerina slippers
2. Tuesday: striped long sleeve shirt, rust colored blazer, navy cords, gray heels
3. Wednesday: navy striped t-shirt, blue oxford shirt, maroon cords and moccasins
4. Thursday: jean shirt, short sleeved cardi with ski lodge stripe, gray slacks, khaki shoes
5. Today: striped turtleneck, jeans and moccasins

Some people opt for all things black, I opt for stripes. They are my staple. I think they're outrageously versatile, an easy way to add pattern to an outfit and perfect for layering. This is why I got so excited when my BFF Jen landed the most adorable striped dress while shopping in Columbus a couple weekends ago. Here she is...

Isn't she just precious?!?! It's from Forever21, it's beige lace and navy, it has a mock turtle.

For the record, yes, I always give my dad and my friend - who's name I'll keep anonymous - a hard time about wearing them but in this particular case, the mock turtle works. All other scenarios, I stand firm on staying away from them as much as possible. Especially when pairing with things like fleece vests (dad) and windbreaker pants (anonymous friend). It's a little too Larry David for me.

Moving on, Jen recently asked what she should pair with the dress. Needing a topic for my weekly fashion post and wanting to share these types of questions with the rest of you, I quickly made this dress a personal mission for showing just how versatile stripes can be. I know, it's weird because I never make things into a bigger deal than they really are. It's just sooo unlike me, right mom? ;)

After some quick ideas and points shared, this is what Jen came up with.

Navy tights, light brown knee high flat boots. I hope she's planning to pair a tan leather purse with the outfit which will help complete the look. Very complimentary, very simple, very adaptable. The challenges were the stripes being navy (tough neutral), the dress being short and the lace being dressy. The navy tights solved for the first two and the light brown boots helped keep the look casual enough for daily wear.

With more time to obsess think on it, I hopped on polyvore and got busy coordinating accessories. I wanted to stay away from the typical stand-alone dress, messy side chignon and nude heel since that's the no-brainer way to wear the dress. Instead, I got a tad more creative with how to include.

Here's what I came up with.

NOTE: I could have pulled from my closet but chose polyvore because I thought it might make me sad to make outfits for a dress I don't actually own. I know, I'm a baby.

via polyvore

A casual look, treating the dress as a shirt. Since stripes are preppie and the lace needed to be dressed down, I paired with masculine pieces that were tailored and complimentary to a lady's shape. This makes the dress feel more casual without seeming like you're interested in cross dressing. The sleek oversized men's vest compliments the length of the dress without overpowering or competing with the lace or the stripes. The dark denim and skinny shape adds height and the suede wedged oxford booties add texture and that extra sense of prep. I couldn't decide on whether a messenger bag or mustard clutch would be best - I think it depends on the situation.

via polyvore

This is a little riskier but I wanted to add depth and play with the juxtaposition between lacy dress and motorcycle mayhem. Not wanting the look to get too rocker chick, I kept the colors subtle and warm. The patterned navy tights balances the navy throughout the look while adding subtle texture, similar to the lace on the dress. The gray leg warmers keep the look cozy and layered while the gray wool motorcycle jacket adds structure and edge. I'm 50/50 on the boots and clutch - but like the idea of taller laceups and a multi-colored clutch to warm up the look in a more neutral way.

via polyvore

This next one is fun, a little fancy and a little flirty which, in my opinion, is the entire essence of the dress. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this look. I can just picture it at a party, with a glass of wine, laughing at jokes and being the center of attention without even knowing it - making all the other outfits green with envy. I, again, played off the preppiness stripes offer to an outfit, but kept it really leggy for the sake of the lace. Adding a gold buttoned, emblemed blazer (rolled sleeves) keeps the look polished and allows room for more femininity with some gold heels, a gold hair brooch and probably bright red lips. I pure blend of smart and sexy. Overtop, a long emerald peacoat and patterned scarf add some color and almost create an entirely different outfit!

via polyvore

This one's a very everyday-wear type of look. A way to make the dress come across like it was just thrown on for a typical Thursday work day. Again, treating the dress as a shirt, pairing it with some colored corduroys keeps it uber casual. I'm not 100% sold on the red or mauve but wanted to keep the bottom a warm color that seems to be unexpectedly paired with the top. Then, depending on the day, you can pair with some trusty moccasins or roll up the bottoms and add some nude or beige heels. Pair either option with some larger, more ornate earrings to complete the look.

So... what do you think? Would you wear any of these looks? Do you prefer one style to another? Aren't stripes the coolest?!

P.S. I own the Minnetonka moccasins and Mia wedge booties shown above. I'd highly recommend them as winter shoe staples and they look fantastic with any and all types of stripe.

buns and artwork.

I've got two things on the brain today - buns and DIY art. The bun because I happen to have a giant one on top of my head as I type this and the DIY art because I am very slowly putting in place a plan for my workspace artwork. Totally random I know, but I can't help it.

True to form, I decided to stay in bed until the last possible second today. This left me with a whopping 30 minutes to take Ruby out, get dressed and drive to work. Totally uneccessary stress I know, but I can't help it. That said, I was unable to shower this morning (eww, gross) and my hair was out. of. control. So I did what (I think) anyone would have in this kind of situation - throw it on the top of my head, shove some bobby pins in there and hope for the best.

Well, I got lucky. My 'fro somehow managed to wrap itself into a pretty bun. Sure, it's a tad frizzy and a little huge, but I made it work. I paired it with a striped long t-shirt, my "new" $3 rust colored blazer from Dress for Success, navy corduroys and some tall gray heels. I wish I could show you a pic so you can see how not-ballerina the look is but I'm typing this on my lunch break. In the office. At my desk.

Instead, I'll offer some example pics of how to work a pretty bun. The most important things to remember? Imperfections are good and always pair with something tailored or structured.

running on happiness

[kind of what mine looks like except for a little more curl and a lot more frizz]

glamour

wonder how to

pinterest

pretty stuff

As for the DIY art, I started hanging up some pictures in my workspace and want to blend places I've been, corkboards and artwork I've made. So I did what anyone (I think) would have done in my situation and headed to pinterest for some ideas. Here are the ones I've bookmarked so far. Something fun, a little 3-dimensional but simple at the same time.

material girls

apartment therapy

etsy

jeff canham

the mayberry home journal

design sponge

lemonade makin mama

dress for success pulls through.

A couple weeks ago, I spent my lunch break searching through seas of blazers and slacks hoping to find something fantastic. And that I did - times eight.

I headed to 4th Street Boutique, a store opened to benefit the program Dress for Success. Originally opened to sell donated surplus and non-interview appropriate clothing, 4th Street Boutique quickly became a high end thrift store that continues to fund the Dress for Success program.

My first time there, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was told it was very hit or miss so I went in strictly to check out the setup and type of clothing available. Instead, I ended scooping up everything from silk blouses to a vintage suit for a grand total of $29.00. And, in celebration of the Dress for Success program, I put together a few eight outfits that feature my finds in true business casual form.

A geometric print brightens up a gray sweater vest/pencil skirt combo.

I LOVE the tie front and silky material. 

[blouse: 4th Street, vest: Forever21, skirt: Limited, shoes: Max Studio]

a cozy 3/4 sleeve sweater is the perfect cold weather garment to wear on bad weather days

[turtleneck: 4th Street, t-shirt: American Eagle, corduroys: Gap, shoes: Old Navy]

wool plaid jacket easily transitions summer dresses into fall

[jacket: 4th Street, dress: Urban Outfitters, shoes: Forever21]

cuffed wide-legged khaki trousers should be a staple in any wardrobe.

[trousers: 4th Street, blouse: Gap, sweater: Forever21, 

shoes: BCBG, flower pins: vintage, bird pin: Forever21]

words cannot express how adorable this outfit is. tailored pattern helps create curves.

[pencil skirt: 4th Street, blouse: Gap, sweater: Forever21, shoes: Max Studio]

the matching suit blazer dresses up jeans and a t-shirt for casual fridays.

[blazer: 4th Street, t-shirt: Gap, jeans: Gap, shoes: Max Studio]

this multi-colored blazer is the perfect 90's throw back. 

keep the look updated by mixing in simple patterns and modern silhouettes.

[blazer: 4th Street, t-shirt: Old Navy, necklace: Forever21, jeans: Gap, shoes: Max Studio]

the 3/4 sleeves on this rust blazer makes it appear boxy even though it's far from it. 

pair with polka dots to compliment its classic lines, adding

slouchy suede boots to modernize

[blazer: 4th Street, dress: Forever21, boots: DSW]

P.S. I had no idea how many articles of clothing I've picked up at Forever21 over the years. So many there was at least one thing in each ensemble! I think it's because the stuff is so dirt cheap I just can't say no. Next time however, I'm hoping to pay more attention to avoid a Forever21 overdose.

Happy Friday!

NOTE: This post was not sponsored by 4th Street Boutique or Dress for Success and is 100% my personal opinion.

for the love of colored corduroy.

All you ladies in the house, get ready. As mentioned in earlier posts, I love fashion almost as much as interior design. The fact that you can transform yourself (and believe me I do) from one style to the next gets me p-u-m-p-e-d. So every Friday, I'm heading into my closet and pulling out some of the latest things I've been crushing on.

Right now, it's corduroy. I'm IN LOVE with colored corduroy. Take my old reliables. These are last year's navy Gap Always Skinny version that I probably wear at least once a week. I have a huge problem finding pants that fit and Gap seems to have one of the only answers. Had I been smart enough last year, I would have grabbed a pair in every color.

It all started when searching for a pant option I could get away with wearing in the office that had the same comfort level as a jean. I'm not a huge khaki fan so cords seemed to be the perfect option. As soon as I buttoned them up, my mind started racing through the millions of things I could pair them with. Like this.

The mix of pattern compliments the corduroy texture while the bright mustard and fuchsia create contrast. I can't resist adding some metallic to the mix which, in the end, pulled the whole look together.

Next I picked up Gap's lightweight corduroy leggings in maroon. These were purchased during my birthday shopping spree earlier this month with my mom (hi mom!).

I liked the darker hue because it could still be used as a neutral and gave off that whole ski-lodgey vibe I'm way into for fall and winter. Again, adding some pattern and sharpening the color by adding brighter red pulled the look together.

Finally, we have my beloved hunter green corduroy mini I found at Forever21. Also purchased during the shopping spree madness, I CANNOT wait to start adding to the mix. Yes, hunter green can be pretty drab (hello 1990s interior design) but I think the buttoned-up front and trendy accessories will modernize the piece, making hunter green seem almost as cool as neon.

Uh, pretend those rolled up wife beaters are cute little white socks. And aren't those gray Nine West booties adorable? 

P.S. the picture doesn't do my new crocheted headband justice. On, it looks more like this.

craftaholics anonymous

And for the record: I've not worn any of these outfits yet. SO DON'T STEAL THEM! For makeup, I'm thinking a fresh face would look adorable with all of the looks - lots of highlighter, a thick cat-eye and neutral lip.

tig-fashion

IN MY CLOSET (from top to bottom):

Gap Always Skinny Navy Corduroys

Target mustard 3/4 sleeve cardigan

Target brown and white striped tank

Target fuchsia and gold scarf

Forever21 metallic beads

Old Navy metallic ballet flats

Gap Lightweight Maroon Corduroy Legging

Forever21 red plaid shirt

Forever21 patterned sweater

Nine West red suede loafers

Forever21 hunter green corduroy mini

Old Navy patterned sweater

(??) beaded necklace

Forever21 crocheted headband

Nine West gray booties

layers of cardigans.

Ok first of all, this polyvore thing is ridiculous. You can put outfits OR ROOMS together based on photos you import or find around the web. It's a great, low risk way to try out an idea you have in your head but are still a little unsure about it's potential.

Second of all, like most ladies, I like to shop. A lot. And with this whole budget business I've got going on, my "disposable" income is teeny tiny along with my chance to go on a shopping spree. So when my parents offered up a shopping trip for my birthday, I took full advantage. On top of the spree, I received some bonus cash from my Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Ronnie and Uncle Mark. Yes, I know I'm spoiled and I'm totally ok with that. Definitely no starving artist card being played over here.

Knowing that this would likely be my one and only shot at getting new clothes until Christmas, I knew I had to choose things that were flexible, accessible and timeless. Enter the cardigan. As mentioned in this post, I love me some good cardigans. They're easy to layer, can add some color and can be dressed up or down depending on the occassion.

Referencing my mental images of my closet, I knew I had plenty of neutral cardigans but could definitely use some in brighter colors and patterns.

[from top to bottom: ann taylor loft, forever21, hm]

P.S. I know all these photos are crappy and the clothes wrinkled. I took these quickly before work this morning - towel wrapped around my head, two different shoes on and all.


Since I already had a mustard 3/4 sleeve verson (which I LOVE), I opted for a more unexpected color to add to the collection. This rich coral color goes perfect with cords, jeans and a thermal or even my nude voile dress and tights.

[top to bottom: mossimo from target, old navy, nordstrom rack]

For some reason I was really feeling the ski lodge vibe when choosing the other two cardigans during the spree. They both are thick, textured and screamed sit-by-the-fire-and-drink-spiked-hot-chocolate. I love how the beige one has shorter sleeves for layering while the other has electric blue accents within the all-over pattern. Both make me want to bust out some preppy accents like striped collared shirts or oxfords and paint my nails OPI's You Don't Know Jacques.

[top to bottom: forever21, old navy]

Because of the long length, you can also wear these with leggings, colored socks and wedged boots. Add a knit hat, a parka and you're ready for some winter festivities.

[via polyvore]

Can't wait to start including them in my wardrobe rotation!